An American tourist from Nevada hiked six miles down a mountain in the dark after surviving two deadly earthquakes in Venezuela.
The incident highlights the extreme vulnerability of tourist infrastructure during seismic events and the danger faced by travelers in high-altitude regions.
Jason Wang was traveling on a cable car near Caracas when the seismic activity began. The earthquakes caused the cable car system to stop, leaving Wang stranded on the mountain. Because the transport system was disabled, he was forced to navigate the terrain on foot during the night to reach safety.
"The floor under me was shaking," Wang said.
The region was struck by two significant tremors. The first earthquake measured 7.2 magnitude [1], followed by a second quake with a magnitude of 7.5 [2]. These twin events caused widespread disruption and casualties across the area.
Wang's descent required him to trek six miles through mountainous terrain without the aid of the cable car. He navigated the descent in darkness before successfully reaching the bottom of the mountain.
Local authorities and emergency services have been managing the aftermath of the twin quakes, which have left various parts of the Caracas region in distress.
“"The floor under me was shaking,"”
This event underscores the risks associated with cable car transit in seismically active zones, where mechanical failure can leave passengers stranded in remote areas. The survival of a foreign national under these conditions may draw attention to the safety protocols and emergency evacuation plans of Venezuelan tourism infrastructure.
